The average net monthly earnings stood at RON4,959, increasing by 12.4% (+RON547) compared to 2023. The highest values of the average net monthly earnings achieved in 2024, compared to the mean value by economy, were registered in the following economic activities: information and communication (+90.1%), financial and insurance activities (+63.6%), electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (+58.0%), public administration (+45.2%), respectively mining and quarrying (+38.9%).
The lowest values of the average net monthly earnings compared to the mean value by economy were in the following economic activities: accommodation and food service activities (-40.8%), other service activities (-34.7%), real estate activities (-25.4%), administrative and support service activities (-21.2%), agriculture, forestry and fishing (-19.9%), respectively arts, entertainment and recreation (-19.3%).
For 2024, the real earnings index (expressed as ratio of the net nominal earnings index and the consumer price index of the population) was 248.9% compared to 1990, higher by 15.1 percentage points against the previous year.
Female employees earned on average, in gross terms, by 3.6% less than male employees, achieving average gross monthly earnings of RON7,907 (compared to RON8,201 for male employees). In net terms, female employees earned by 5.4%, respectively with RON275/month less than male employees (RON4,815 the average net monthly earnings of female employees, compared to RON5,090 of male employees).
Male employees achieved higher average net monthly earnings compared with the ones of female employees in almost all economic activities and the most significant differences were found in financial and insurance activities (39.4%), manufacturing (21.2%), information and communication (17.2%), other service activities (16.2%), respectively in wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (13.8%).
By counties, the average net monthly earnings in 2024 were below the average by total economy in 36 of the counties.
The lowest levels of the average net monthly earnings were registered in Teleorman (RON3,822, lower by 22.9% than the average in total economy), Valcea (RON3,881, lower by 21.7% than the average in total economy), Vrancea (RON3,890, lower by 21.6% than the average in total economy), respectively Covasna (RON3,896, lower by 21.4% than the average in total economy).
At the opposite side, with the highest levels of the average net monthly earnings were Bucharest Municipality (RON6,730, higher by 35.7% than the average in total economy), respectively the counties of Cluj (RON5,921, higher by 19.4% than the average in total economy), Timis (RON5,508, higher by 11.1% than the average in total economy), Iasi (RON5,098, higher by 2.8% than the average in total economy), Ilfov (RON5,060, higher by 2.0% than the average in total economy) and Brasov (RON5,019, higher by 1.2% than the average in total economy).
The average monthly labor cost amounted to RON8,439/employee in 2024, higher by 14.4% than in the previous year.
The average monthly labor cost increased in all economic activities compared to the previous year, except in mining and quarrying, where a decrease of 4.7% was recorded. The most important increases in the average monthly labor cost were found in education) (+24.1%), construction (+19.2%), water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities (+16.0%), other service activities (+15.6%), respectively in manufacturing and accommodation and food service activities (+15.0% each).
In order to support the economic and social units, transfers were granted from the state budget to the employer for the time not worked (in case of technical unemployment at the initiative of the employer, temporary reduction of the working time, supervision of children in the situation of temporary closure of the educational institutions), respectively for the stimulation of employment by (re)employing certain categories of people (for example: graduates, unemployed).
The share of these transfers in the total expenditure of the labor force (direct and indirect costs) was lower compared to the previous year, with moderate differences by economic activities. Thus, the largest amounts related to transfers from the state budget were found in the activities of manufacturing, administrative and support service activities, construction, wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, respectively accommodation and food service activities.
As compared to the average by total economy, the average monthly labor cost was significant higher in information and communication (+86.2%), financial and insurance activities (+67.7%), electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (+65.0%), mining and quarrying (+24.9%), respectively professional, scientific and technical activities (+20.4%).
The most relevant values of the average monthly labor cost below the average by total economy were registered in accommodation and food service activities (-41.5%), other service activities (-34.6%), agriculture, forestry and fishing (-24.8%), real estate activities (-23.7%), respectively administrative and support service activities (-21.0%).
In 2024, the average number of employees was 5453.2 thousand people. The average number of employees increased during 2024 by 88.2 thousand people compared to the previous year, as a result of the expansion of the activity of certain economic and social units. The average number of male employees predominated as in the previous years, representing 52.4% of total employees (respectively 2860.1 thousand people). Compared to previous year, the average number of male employees increased by 69.8 thousand people.